Central Connecticut State University’s football program has been tabbed as the clear favorite in the Northeast Conference’s preseason poll, earning six of eight first‑place votes. The Blue Devils are looking to add a third consecutive conference championship, a feat not achieved since Robert Morris in the 1990s, despite having finished 8‑5 last season and exiting the NCAA FCS Playoffs in the same round.
Their schedule opens with a home matchup against South Dakota on August 29, followed by a road test at Marist on August 28, setting the stage for a demanding start to the campaign.
Among the standout returnees is redshirt junior defensive back Chris Jean, a 2026 Stats Perform Preseason All‑American and Buck Buchanan Award watchlist candidate who earned All‑NEC honors for the second straight year.
Joining him on the defensive side are senior lineman Wayne Coleman and junior linebacker Daren Omoregie, both named to the All‑NEC preseason defensive team.
On offense, graduate student Michael Trovarelli and fellow receiver Donovan Wadley are expected to anchor the passing attack, while senior tight end/H‑back Sean O’Brien, La‑Quann Gaddy and lineman Karl Khuns make up the All‑NEC preseason offensive unit.
Special teams will feature junior kicker Jack Hennessey and return specialist Donovan Wadley, adding depth to a unit that could be pivotal in close games.
Chasing History
If the Blue Devils can translate preseason optimism into on‑field production, they could rewrite the conference record books and cement a modern dynasty. New Haven, reclassifying into the NEC for the first time, will play a full conference slate but remains ineligible for the league’s automatic FCS playoff bid, a nuance that could affect the championship race.